This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! We break it all down in this week’s Raw recap!
We Hear From Bron Breakker
Bron Breakker appears at ringside and tears apart the announce desk. Breakker then calls out Adam Pearce for ruining his moment in the Royal Rumble. The rest of The Vision members run down to try and calm him down. Breakker asserts that Pearce needs to get down to the ring so he can get his ass whooped. Paul Heyman blames Pearce and the people for Breakker being #2 in the Royal Rumble. Heyman then claims that Pearce should know who the masked man is that attacked Breakker at the Rumble. Breakker demands that Pearce come out. Pearce does with added security. Pearce clarifies that Breakker drew number two in the Rumble himself. He adds that he doesn’t know who the masked men is, but the last time we saw one, it was Austin Theory. Pearce says he is giving a gift to Breakker and it’s him keeping his job.
Breakker charges up the ramp, but Reed holds him back. LA Knight ambushes Logan Paul and Theory in the ring with a chair. Reed chases him off. Meanwhile, Breakker angrily heads to the back.
Je’Von Evans vs El Grande Americano (Ludwig Kaiser)
Evans takes down Grande with a hurricanrana. Grande whips Evans toward the steel steps, but Evans jumps over them. Evans sends Grande to the outside, then dives onto him. Rayo trips up Evans as the referee is distracted. Evans tries to drag Rayo into the ring, but Grande dropkicks him. Grande then rams Evans into the ring post. Grande delivers a back body drop to Evans next.
Back from break, Evans superkicks Grande, then elbows him. Grande lands a pair of chops. Evans spikes him with a DDT. Evans follows with a corkscrew kick and a forearm in the corner. Evans rocks Grande with a strike to the jaw. Grande wrenches Evans back with a submission. Evans escapes it and blasts Grande with another kick. Evans goes up top and lands a coast to coast Swanton for a near fall. Evans ascends the ropes again, but Bravo trips him up. Rayo hands Grande a steel plate to use as the referee is distracted by Bravo. The OG El Grande (Chad Gable) emerges, distracting Grande. When he turns around, Grande (Kaiser) meets a knee to the face from Evans. Evans follows with an OG Cutter for the win.
Winner: Je’Von Evans
We Hear From Gunther
AJ Styles’ music begins playing, with a figure then appearing on the stage. It is revealed to be Gunther mocking Styles. He heads to the ring laughing. When he tries to talk, the crowd boos him heavily. Gunther says just like Goldberg and John Cena, Styles found out that when one steps into the ring with him, their career dies. Dragon Lee runs down and attacks Gunther. He wipes out Gunther with a dive, then sends him crashing into the ring post. Lee kicks Gunther into the timekeeper’s area. When Lee charges at Gunther again, he eats a face full of ring bell. Gunther cinches in the sleeper hold on Lee. WWE officials try to pull them apart. Gunther initially releases the hold, but then reapplies it as Lee hangs over the apron.
Backstage, Paul Heyman demands that Adam Pearce book a match between Breakker and LA Knight. Pearce says he can’t do that because he just walked LA Knight out of the building. Pearce then suggests that Heyman escort Breakker out of the building too. Pearce also advises Heyman to get Bronson Reed ready for his match against Penta. Heyman takes offense, especially considering they’re in Philadelphia.
Back in the ring, Erik and Ivar of the War Raiders are awaiting a tag match, but Oba Femi emerges. Femi levels both Erik and Ivar. He crushes Erik in the corner with an elbow. He slams both Erik and Ivar to the mat. He follows with another powerbomb to Erik.
We Hear From The Bella Twins
Nikki and Brie Bella come down to the ring. Nikki says everyone is happy that Brie is back. Brie says she is finally home. Brie confirms that she is back because and Nikki are the original tag team. She applauds the current women’s division, then says she and Nikki want in on the women’s tag titles.
Backstage, Maxxine Dupri vows to break Nattie’s ankle next week.
Penta vs. Bronson Reed (w/ The Vision)
Penta fires of chops on Reed. Reed crushes Penta with a splash in the corner. He then unloads stomps on Penta in another. Reed whips Penta into the opposite corner. Penta answers with a series of elbow strikes. Penta takes down Reed with a hurricanrana, then dropkicks him to the outside. Penta wipes out Reed with a dive through the ropes.
Back from break, Reed flattens Penta with a senton. He knocks Penta down with a big chop next. Reed delivers a leg drop and suplex. Reed drops an elbow for a near fall. Penta dodges another senton attempt from Reed. Penta fires off chops, then drives Reed into the mat with a sling blade. He follows with a DDT. Reed slams Penta into the mat for another near fall. Penta chops Reed again. He follows with a backstabber for a near fall of his own. Theory hops up to the apron, but Penta kicks him off. Logan Paul hops up next. Penta accidentally hits the referee, then wipes out Theory and Logan with a dive to the outside. When he returns to the ring, Reed drives him into the mat. Reed follows with a Tsunami, but the referee is still knocked out.
Reed leaves the ring and grabs a chair. LA Knight appears and plants Reed with a BFT onto the chair. Theory and Logan chase after Knight through the crowd. The referee begins counting. Reed is unable to make it into the ring before the count of ten.
Winner (by countout): Penta
Liv Morgan Royal Rumble Celebration
Dominik Mysterio returns and introduces Liv Morgan. Morgan runs down and hugs Dominik. Morgan says the people are in the presence of the greatest Royal Rumble winner. Morgan says the people will have to wait a little bit longer to find out who she will face at WrestleMania. Morgan suggests that she will go to SmackDown to assess her options as well. Morgan asserts that we will see a new Women’s World Champion tonight in Raquel Rodriguez. Morgan introduces Raquel.
Raquel says they’ve been celebrating Morgan’s victory, but they haven’t addressed the fact that Morgan eliminated her in it. Morgan says she knows Raquel isn’t a selfish person. She points out that both of them now have a title opportunity. Raquel agrees, but suggests that Morgan stay in the back during her title match. Raquel says it will make it even sweeter when she beats Stephanie Vaquer.
Women’s World Title Street Fight: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs Raquel Rodriguez
Raquel fires off back elbows in the corner. Vaquer rolls up Raquel for a one count. Raquel runs her over with a clothesline in return. Vaquer slingshots Raquel’s jaw off the top rope, then drags her to the outside. Vaquer drives her knee across Raquel’s throat. She wipes her out with a dive to the outside next. Vaquer retrieves a table from under the ring. Raquel runs over, then slams Vaquer against the barricade. Raquel sends Vaquer crashing through the table with the Tejana Bomb.
Back from break, Raquel drives Vaquer into the ring post. Raquel sets up a chair in the corner. The chairs falls out of the way. Vaquer plants Raquel into the mat with belly to back suplex. Raquel launches Vaquer into the top rope, then blasts her in the head with a trash can. Raquel tosses more chairs into the ring. Vaquer leaps off the top, but gets caught. Raquel throws her into the stack of chairs. Raquel goes up top and misses the corkscrew splash. Vaquer delivers Devil’s Kiss on top of the chairs. They roll to the outside, where Vaquer lands another Devil’s Kiss on top of the steel steps.
Back from another break, Vaquer puts a trash can over Raquel and crushes it in the corner. Raquel answers with a clothesline and trash-can loaded big boot for a near fall. Raquel slides another table into the ring and sets it up in the corner. Vaquer kicks Raquel in the face, but Raquel bounces back with another clothesline. Liv Morgan grabs the women’s title belt and hands it to Raquel. Vaquer drives Raquel into the turnbuckle, then sets her up on the table. Vaquer goes up top. Roxanne Perez tries to interfere, but Vaquer sends her crashing through a table on the outside. Raquel meets Vaquer up top. Vaquer hurricanranas Raquel off the top and through th table. Vaquer goes up top again and descends with a corkscrew splash for the win.
Winner (And Still): Stephanie Vaquer
After the match, Morgan drops Vaquer with an Oblivion. Morgan poses with the Women’s World Championship.
We Hear From Roman Reigns
Reigns tells Philadelphia to acknowledge him. Reigns takes in the crowd’s cheers. Reigns recalls him various memories in Philadelphia, including his first Royal Rumble. Reigns says it’s ironic that he after he won his second one, the same city was next on the schedule. Reigns points out that he has a decision to make and he asks the fans to help him. The crowd makes it clear they want him to pursue CM Punk. CM Punk’s music hits.
Punk addresses Finn Balor’s statements and promises that Balor will find out that he is a bad guy when Punk gets his hands on him. Reigns calls out Punk for interrupting him, then addressing Balor. Punk says that’s funny considering Reigns is a visitor on his show. Punk points out that he is the champion and calls the shots. Punk asks if Reigns really needs the people’s help with his decision for WrestleMania. Punk claims he knows who Reign is picking, which is Drew McIntyre. Punk claims that McIntyre is the easy out. Reigns recalls Punk’s feud with McIntyre over a bracelet. Punk points out that he put McIntyre into the dirt in Hell in a Cell. Reigns points out that he’s beaten McIntyre multiple years in a row. Reigns asserts that his family is the reason WWE is where it’s at.
Punk says the reason they’re in the spot they’re in is because Reigns manipulated a number of people into believing that he held WWE up to the sky. Punk says Reigns actually held it hostage. Punk references his 434 day world title reign, which Reigns later followed up on. Punk claims that just because Reigns reigned longer, doesn’t mean he did it better, though. Punk says Reigns has earned his shot here, but Reigns choses to be a part timer. Meanwhile, Punk choses to travel the world and be full time. Punk reiterates that Reigns has a decision to make: take the easy way out with a guy he thinks he can beat or a match with him, the best in the world. Reigns claps back by saying Punk is making all the towns because he took a ten year vacation. Reigns adds that he learned what not to do from Punk. Reigns says Punk wouldn’t be here without him because Reigns gave permission for WWE to bring Punk back. Then Punk stole his Wise Man and tried to brainwash his family. Reigns claims that Punk mocked him. Still, he is picking Punk for WrestleMania because he hates him.